Paint Me (GXG) ✒️

26

I woke up with a smile the next morning. Even though Fareedah had said she found it difficult to open up and talk about her feelings, she had unconsciously done that. I knew we had gone back to being 'just friends' and I was fine with that. In addition to my already good day, it was announced in the class group chat that the class we had that day had been cancelled. I was very high spirited when I walked into her sitting room, and even higher spirited when I saw she was already seated there.

She smiled widely when she saw me. "Had a nice night?"

I nodded with a wide smile, I'm sure she worried my mouth was going to rip apart. "You?"

She nodded as she got up, dropping the little canvas she had in her hand. I smiled to myself when I saw she was painting, it was yellow lily. She had gone far, and seemed like she was only touching up on something. "Follow me to the kitchen please, do not look at the painting," she said as she walked away, causing me to quickly pull away and follow her. "What do you want to eat?"

I smiled. "I am no longer a visitor here, really."

"I am trying to atone for my wrongs."

"You kind of have," I told her.

"Really?"

I nodded.

She smiled as she grabbed a bowl to make cereal for herself, while I did same. We both sat to a bowl of cereal, in comfortable silence.

"So, do you have class today?" she asked when she was done, getting up to go wash her plate.

I shook my head then replied, "No. Completely free, so I would most likely stay in my hostel and sleep for most of the day."

She chuckled a bit as she wiped her bowl, while I got up to go wash mine. My hands brushed her, which made me very conscious as I moved farther from her a bit. "That is sure one way to spend the day."

I nodded with a smile and made my way to leave the kitchen, when she suddenly said, "Want to go on a sudden full day hangout?"

I turned to look at her abruptly. "Uh?"

She smiled warmly as she said, "I mean we could spend the day hanging out, I have no plans on going to class today." She looked away from me as she walked out of the kitchen, going on with what she was saying without turning back to check if I was behind her. "We could go for a walk, ice-cream and then finish up with a movie. I have been dying to go to EbonyLife place cinema," she began rambling. "I heard that it is very comfy and relaxing, and I have also been dying to step out of this house, just a walk would be fine even." She turned to me abruptly. "Or do you not like movies? Then we could try something else. I didn't even ask you what you like, I just went on talking and talk..."

"Breath," I unexpectedly said, causing her to actually breath.

Her face fell as she asked, "Am I trying too much?"

I nodded with a gentle smile. "A bit," I replied. "But, I do enjoy the movies," I told her. "I love the entire plan you have sort of laid out. We can go for a walk, the movies, some ice-cream. Whatever pattern or arrangement you want it, I'm not an outing and consistent hangout person, so I do not know what to do in an entire day. If it was left to me, I'd say we say in and sleep. Maybe watch a movie or two."

Fareedah chuckled as she rested her weight on the wall, her legs crossed, and arm folded.

She looked attractive posed the way she was, I wasn't going to deny, so I did the wise thing and looked away from her. "The only time I ever really go out is when I go on walks with Inoma. And the sometimes I go on movie and ice-cream dates with my friends."